'\" t
.\"     Title: pam_mail
.\"    Author: [see the "AUTHOR" section]
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.79.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 09/03/2021
.\"    Manual: Linux-PAM Manual
.\"    Source: Linux-PAM Manual
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "PAM_MAIL" "8" "09/03/2021" "Linux-PAM Manual" "Linux\-PAM Manual"
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.nh
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.SH "NAME"
pam_mail \- Inform about available mail
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.HP \w'\fBpam_mail\&.so\fR\ 'u
\fBpam_mail\&.so\fR [close] [debug] [dir=\fImaildir\fR] [empty] [hash=\fIcount\fR] [noenv] [nopen] [quiet] [standard]
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
The pam_mail PAM module provides the "you have new mail" service to the user\&. It can be plugged into any application that has credential or session hooks\&. It gives a single message indicating the
\fInewness\fR
of any mail it finds in the user\*(Aqs mail folder\&. This module also sets the PAM environment variable,
\fBMAIL\fR, to the user\*(Aqs mail directory\&.
.PP
If the mail spool file (be it
/var/mail/$USER
or a pathname given with the
\fBdir=\fR
parameter) is a directory then pam_mail assumes it is in the
\fIMaildir\fR
format\&.
.SH "OPTIONS"
.PP
.PP
\fBclose\fR
.RS 4
Indicate if the user has any mail also on logout\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBdebug\fR
.RS 4
Print debug information\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBdir=\fR\fB\fImaildir\fR\fR
.RS 4
Look for the user\*(Aqs mail in an alternative location defined by
maildir/<login>\&. The default location for mail is
/var/mail/<login>\&. Note, if the supplied
maildir
is prefixed by a \*(Aq~\*(Aq, the directory is interpreted as indicating a file in the user\*(Aqs home directory\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBempty\fR
.RS 4
Also print message if user has no mail\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBhash=\fR\fB\fIcount\fR\fR
.RS 4
Mail directory hash depth\&. For example, a
\fIhashcount\fR
of 2 would make the mail file be
/var/spool/mail/u/s/user\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBnoenv\fR
.RS 4
Do not set the
\fBMAIL\fR
environment variable\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBnopen\fR
.RS 4
Don\*(Aqt print any mail information on login\&. This flag is useful to get the
\fBMAIL\fR
environment variable set, but to not display any information about it\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBquiet\fR
.RS 4
Only report when there is new mail\&.
.RE
.PP
\fBstandard\fR
.RS 4
Old style "You have\&.\&.\&." format which doesn\*(Aqt show the mail spool being used\&. This also implies "empty"\&.
.RE
.SH "MODULE TYPES PROVIDED"
.PP
The
\fBsession\fR
and
\fBauth\fR
(on establishment and deletion of credentials) module types are provided\&.
.SH "RETURN VALUES"
.PP
PAM_BUF_ERR
.RS 4
Memory buffer error\&.
.RE
.PP
PAM_SERVICE_ERR
.RS 4
Badly formed arguments\&.
.RE
.PP
PAM_SUCCESS
.RS 4
Success\&.
.RE
.PP
PAM_USER_UNKNOWN
.RS 4
User not known\&.
.RE
.SH "EXAMPLES"
.PP
Add the following line to
/etc/pam\&.d/login
to indicate that the user has new mail when they login to the system\&.
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
session  optional  pam_mail\&.so standard
      
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.sp
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.PP
\fBpam.conf\fR(5),
\fBpam.d\fR(5),
\fBpam\fR(8)
.SH "AUTHOR"
.PP
pam_mail was written by Andrew G\&. Morgan <morgan@kernel\&.org>\&.
